Students and staff from The Bicester School turned out in record numbers for this year’s Oxford Town & Gown 10K on Sunday, marking the school’s largest and most inclusive participation to date.
A fantastic 160 students and 35 staff members took part in the race, supported by a further 20 volunteers made up of staff, students and parents who assisted organisers throughout the event.
Central to this year’s involvement was the school’s commitment to inclusion, equality and widening participation, with staff working hard to remove barriers and ensure as many students and families as possible could take part in the experience. The school even hired a minibus to support students who may otherwise have been unable to attend.
The milestone builds on years of growing involvement and represents The Bicester School’s biggest presence at the event yet. The school’s journey with Town & Gown began in 2022, when a member of staff took part and pledged to bring state school students to the start line the following year. Since then, participation has grown year on year, culminating in Sunday’s record turnout.
Organised by Muscular Dystrophy UK and sponsored by Bidwells, the Town & Gown series aims to raise more than £500,000 across its Oxford and Cambridge events this year, bringing together thousands of runners from schools, businesses and the wider community.
The school was also proudly supported by local sponsor Blackstones Plumbing & Heating, helping to ensure a strong and visible presence throughout the event.
At the heart of the initiative are the school’s Ambassadors of Change, a student leadership group who helped drive participation and engagement. Their message, “Together we have it all,” was proudly displayed on high-visibility jackets worn by supporters across the day.
Adding to the strong student-led approach, the school’s Student Neurodiversity Ambassadors also played an important role in preparations by designing and producing running kits for the event.
The day also brought sporting success, with Edward Styles winning the Junior 3K race in an outstanding time of 9:55.
Ms Masterson, PE Teacher and Assistant SENCo, said: “For me, effort and belief are everything. The Bicester School demonstrated the power of both participation in sport and competition.
We showed that when people work hard and believe in one another, extraordinary things can happen.”
Year 10 student Amelia said: “I have loved being able to work with other teachers to help prepare for the Town and Gown. It’s been nice working on craft projects beyond the normal academic subjects and as a team. It is great for building transferable skills in communication, leadership, organisation and time management too.”
Mrs Knowlton, Headteacher of The Bicester School and Executive Director School Improvement at Activate Learning Education Trust (ALET), said: “We are incredibly proud of every student, member of staff and volunteer who represented The Bicester School at this year’s Town & Gown event. What makes this achievement so special is not just the number of people involved, but the sense of community behind it. We are committed to ensuring all young people feel they belong and have access to opportunities like this, regardless of background or circumstance.”
With its largest-ever team taking part, The Bicester School’s presence at this year’s Town & Gown reflected not only sporting ambition, but a wider commitment to inclusion, opportunity and community spirit.
